Art with the Community

I went to Alamosa on Saturday to attend the artist reception for my friend, Vivia. We met about 12 years ago when we both lived in Denver. She wasn’t an artist then. She moved to Alamosa to attend college for an art degree.

And she just stayed.

Vivia creates images that arise out of herself, out of her process. She expresses herself through feelings that flow onto the page or canvas. Her show in the Milagros Coffee House was the result of her experiment with doing her art in public for 30 consecutive days, in the community where she lives. Feelings of vulnerability, fear, joy, and acceptance are expressed in the drawings she created.

It is important to my friend that she be authentic in who she is. I told her I thought she was courageous to put herself ‘out there’ for all to see, even if they didn’t understand. It’s about risking who you are and receiving validation as a human being as well as an artist. She offers her voice as an artist to stimulate thoughts and feelings in others, which is why art is important.

Another aspect of Vivia’s work is her work with the Boys and Girls Club in Alamosa. She brings the joy of art and the processes involved to the children she works with. What a wonderful gift she gives these young people in showing them how to be honestly expressive.

This last photo is of other process expressions Vivia created. They are in her studio.